Preparation, microstructure and mechanical properties of bulk (W0.5Al0.5)C0.65 without binder phase by reactive hot-pressing

• Bulk (W0.5Al0.5)C0.65 without binder was firstly produced by RHP.
• Dense product (99.3%) with grain size of about 0.2 μm could be fabricated.
• Pure (W0.5Al0.5)C0.65 without graphite or sub-carbide phase was synthesized.
• The product exhibited excellent mechanical properties.

Bulk (W0.5Al0.5)C0.65 without any binder phase was successfully produced by reactive hot-pressing from the ball-milled powders of W0.5Al0.5 and C. Pure (W0.5Al0.5)C0.65 without precipitated graphite or the brittle sub-carbide phase was synthesized due to the carbon vacancy in (W0.5Al0.5)Cy can reach 50%. Grain growth of (W0.5Al0.5)C0.65 could be suppressed with full densification by reactive hot-pressing for a short sintering time. Nearly full dense product (99.3%) with grain size of about 0.2 μm could be accomplished at 1550 °C for 10 min, with a pressure of 50 MPa. The bulk ultrafine binderless (W0.5Al0.5)C0.65 exhibited excellent mechanical properties.